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No. 626,402. mm lune e, um.

.1. ZINN.

BUILT UP SHIELD.

(Application filed Apr. 4, 1899.)

(No Modeh) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

FIG/Z mcim No. 626,402. Patented June 6, I899.

J. ZINN. BUILT UP SHIELD.

(Application filed Apr. 4, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NrrE ATENT Erica.

BUILT-UPTSHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.- 626,402, dated. June 6, 1899.

Application filed April 4, 1899. Serial No. 711,757. kNo model.)

To (LU whom it may (on/071:.-

lleit known that I, JEXS ZINX, architect, residing at Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsiu Built-Up Shields Chiefly for Military Purposes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, e-lear, and exact description of my invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art lowhich it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in built-up shields chiefly for military purposes, and is particularly applicable for use by the infantry.

' The main object of it is to enable a strong and firm shield of any desired size and thickness to be readily built up from two or more miners or infantry shield, wall, or a piece of" armor, which may be of any desired size and thickness. These combination-shields possess the great advantage of being transportab1ez'. e., maybe readily removed and fixed at different places, according to requirements or as desired, without necessitating the whole shield being taken to pieces for that purpose.

The characteristic feature-of this shield is the rigid'eonneet'ion of the individual shields, as it is this rigidity which attains the desired aimviz., to form from a greater or smaller number of identical shields (single man shields) a miners shield or a wall of armor of any desired size a-nd thickness and that may be easily transported as a whole without falling to pieces and again erected as one piece should it accidentally 'or otherwise become overturned.

Thisinvention as arranged for an infantryshield is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichshafts, as represented in Fig. (5. Fig. 6 is the pin or bar which serves to hold the plates of armor in position together, as illustrated in Fig. 3. FigsJ and 8 represent plan and side elevation, respectively, of an intrenching implement with an elongated shaft as suchimplement is used when it is to form the support for an infantry-shield. (See Fig. 2.)

The shield A, Fig. 3, which is made of such material and such thickness as to withstand modern musket-shots, bullets,- shrapnel, &c., is composed of two parts or plates A AZhinged together at a and r, so that the shield may be folded together and openedi. 6., to form a larger or smaller angle. The aperture between the hingesv and '0' forms the embrasure, 'which is sufficiently big to permit the man behiu the shield a free aim. When the said embrasure is not required for use, it may be closed or covered by thelid B, the latter servin'g simultaneously for staying the shield and preventing same from collapsing. A round openingbis provided in the lid B,which, if required, may be closed by a movable cover or slide 1). This opening serves for the reception of the shaft of the intrenching imple-' ment,if same is employed, to hold together the various component shields placed one behind the other, as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to be able to connect a greater or smaller number of these single shields to obtain a rigid and durable miners shield or a piece of armor, each of the individual shields is provided with connecting-studs a, which serve also as distance-pieces when the shields are placed one behind the other to form a wall. The connecting-studs a have holes or slots in them for the reception of Wedges or bolts. After the shields are placed together in position, so that the connecting-stud a of the one shield is opposite the connecting-stud a on the adjacent shield, these wedges orbolts are passed through the holes or slots in each pair of the studs (1. The said wedges or bolts separated into its component parts with facility. Such a shield may be supported by intrenehing implements-spades, pickaxes, axes-which possess a sliaft C, (see Figs. 4to 6,) of tubular cross-section, in order to receiveelongating bars D. (See Figs. 2, 7, and 8.) The top ends of these elongating bars are so constructed at n that same maybe 0011- f nected to the connecting-stud a near the top edge of the shieldby means of suitable Wedges or bolts. After fixing the shaft to the desired length it will prop up or support the shield, as shown in Fig. 2. If itis intended to produce a thick shield or wall suitable for protection against heavier projectiles, it is simply necessary to arrange the individual shields A one behind the other, as in Fig. 3, and to connect them together by means ofa shaft of an intrenching implement,which passes through the openings bin the cover-plates B of the embrasures. A row of apertures or slotso is provided in the shaft, which apertures are, arranged as far apart from each other as the length of the connecting-studs a-i. e., the distance separating two adjacent shields and the thickness of one shield. Any desired number of shields may be arranged one be: hind the other. After the shaft 0 has been passed through the opening I) a wedge 1) (see Fig. 3) is passed through that .slot in the shaft 0 corresponding to the number of shields united together, whereupon the construction will be quite rigid and firm, as desired. It is obvious that similarly built-up shields may be placed at the top and bottom, as well as at the sides, of such a piece of armor, the various complete shields being fastened together by means of the connectingstuds 0. and wedges or bolts passed through a pair of these studs in the way above described. This will insure a rigid connection, so that a rigid wall of any desired size and thickness may be thus obtained. If such a wall be required for covering field ordnance, machine-guns, &c., gaps can be left in the wall in a simple manner-mamely, by leaving out one or more shields at the places desired.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is- 1. In shields for military and other purposes .the combination of means for enabling the single shields to be temporarily united to form a shield of any desired size and thickness, consisting in providing each half of the single shield with the complementary halves of a hinge, an embrasure between the hinges, guide-cleats on each side of the embrasures, a sliding lid fitting under said cleats, to cover the embrasure and at the sametime give the necessary rigidity to the two united halves, a hole in the said lid, fixed studs adapted to serve both as distance-pieces and as means for connecting the upper ends of the props,

or, legs, by which the shield is supported, the said prop being formed into an intrenching or other useful implement, substantially as and for the purposes described and shown.

2. A shield for military and other purposes consisting of a plate in two parts hinged together, an embrasure between the two halves of the hinge,

said cleats and covering the embrasure, a

guide-cleats on either side of the embrasure, a sliding lid fitting under the hole in-said lid, distance-studs adapted also to serve as means for connecting a prop or leg to support the shields when erected and the said prop or leg, all substantially as described a and set forth.

3. The combination with'a shield for militaryand other pnrposes,consisting of a plate in two parts hinged together; an embrasure between the two halves of the hinge, guidecleats on either side of the embrasure, a sliding lid fitting under the said cleats and covering the embrasure, a hole in said lid, studs adapted to serve both as distance-pieces and as means for connecting a prop or supporting-leg withthe shield, of a propor supporting-leg fashioned into an intrenching or other.

useful implement.

4. In a shield for military and other purposes the combination of two or more shields each complete in itself and consisting of a hinged plate, an embrasure, guide-cleats, a sliding lid to cover the embrasure,. ahole in said lid, studs serving both as distance and connection studs, and legs or props for supporting I the shield, all constructed, operated, serving,

scribed and set forth. 1

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib: ing witnesses.

JENS ZINN.

Witnesses: I

Tnnonon HoLM, O'rrro WETZEL.

substantially as and 'for the purposes de- 

